Construction worker’s viral video inspires millions!

For most construction workers, lunch breaks are reserved for refuelling and having a well-deserved rest.

This is not the case for one Chinese worker, Shi Shenwei. This 23-year-old spends his midday lunch breaks quite differently from the average tradesperson. Instead, he spends his time swinging from scaffolding poles. Combining flips, jumps and gymnastic stands in his routines, he has become one of China’s latest social media sensations. With over a million followers on his social media account, Shenwei has also featured on talent shows and is regularly encouraged and supported by fitness enthusiasts. There’s even been talk about him being featured in films!

His co-workers, on the other hand, are, at times, bewildered by his routines, wondering where he gets the energy from after a 10-hour working day. One colleague stated, “most people would be tired and go home and sleep, but he’s at it every day, around noon or at night.”

Shenwei wasn’t always this way though. After leaving school, he joined his uncle’s construction team. At this time he was skinny and feeble so manual labour work was something he found very difficult. One day, after watching a video that promoted street workouts, that all changed. According to Shenwei he “found another self through body-building.”

His first video, posted in 2015, attracted 7,000 followers. A far cry from his current following of over 1.2 million. He has become an inspiration to many with fans commenting “you are my role model!”

Another fan also wrote, “you are no longer a master, you are a god!”

Not only this, but fitness professionals and gymnasts also think he is doing inspiring work. “He inspires more and more young people to do what they like” Bi Zhenbo, a Beijing personal trainer stated. “I think he’s doing something very meaningful”